Busy 24 Hours for Gene Steratore

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

I know, right? He’s like “The Fonz” of the officiating community.

The divisional round assignments have almost always served as the final audition for the Super Bowl crew. Gene has had several of these assignments, and he’s done some great work, but he just hasn’t been picked yet. I’d bet this is the year that finally changes.


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You mean the Index Card-gate won't hinder his career progression?

[FormerUmp]

Originally Posted by Raymond

You mean the Index Card-gate won't hinder his career progression?

If he doesn't get it, that would be my first guess as to why. I'm hoping they don't use that against him though.

It seems as though the Super Bowl officials typically come from this past weekend's divisional round.

Bill Vinovich had the Falcons-Eagles game, and he's usually held in high regard for his work. There were a few calls, a couple of which were corrected by replay, but the game generally was pretty good from what I remember.

Ron Torbert had the Patriots-Titans game and that game was destroyed in the first half by two incorrect penalties.

Brad Allen doesn't have the required five years in.

Gene Steratore had Vikings-Saints. There was one questionable DPI call from what I remember, but that's it. I think the biggest officiating question people had after the game was "they really had to kick the extra point? Why?"

This could very well be his year. Maybe they had him do Vikings-Saints to get acclimated to the stadium?

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by FormerUmp

I think the biggest officiating question people had after the game was "they really had to kick the extra point? Why?"

Happened after the Fail Mary a few years back and on one other recent instance that I can’t put my finger on. Understand you’d need to do it if a defensive conversion could alter the outcome, but otherwise it’s stupid. Wikipedia says it’s because regulation points factor into one of the lower level tiebreakers. I can buy that, though teams just take a knee anyway (the odds of one or two points in a season-long cumulative points tiebreaker making a difference or even coming into play in the first place are astronomically low). Furthermore, it makes ZERO sense in a post-season game. They need to scrap that rule; it’s painfully anticlimactic.

Originally Posted by FormerUmp

This could very well be his year. Maybe they had him do Vikings-Saints to get acclimated to the stadium?

No, it’s just because it’s more convenient for his Big 10 schedule. But I guess that’s all the more reason he might get the SB. I hope he blocked out Feb. 4th in Arbiter.



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[FormerUmp]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

Happened after the Fail Mary a few years back and on one other recent instance that I can’t put my finger on. Understand you’d need to do it if a defensive conversion could alter the outcome, but otherwise it’s stupid. Wikipedia says it’s because regulation points factor into one of the lower level tiebreakers. I can buy that, though teams just take a knee anyway (the odds of one or two points in a season-long cumulative points tiebreaker making a difference or even coming into play in the first place are astronomically low). Furthermore, it makes ZERO sense in a post-season game. They need to scrap that rule; it’s painfully anticlimactic.

I've heard the same thing about the tiebreaker. Of course in this particular game the spread was most commonly 4.5, 5 or 5.5, I believe. I know there were people who weren't happy to see them just take a knee.

I included that more to suggest that if that's the biggest thing people have to say about the officiating, the game must have been pretty well-officiated.

[FormerUmp]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...super-bowl-lii


Looks like it's been made official.

[paulsonj72]

Originally Posted by FormerUmp

Gene Steratore will be referee for Super Bowl LII - NFL.com


Looks like it's been made official.

Yep. NFL communications sent out the email regarding this. Posted in the football thread also.